The present invention relates to a cooling system for an aircraft, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for mounting a condenser of a cooling system in an aircraft to permit overboard evacuation of residual heat created by the cooling system.
Older cargo and commercial jetliners were not built with the sophisticated electronics and computer controls that are installed in today""s modern aircraft. The controls that were utilized in such older aircraft were typically not affected by heat. Such controls may have comprised of the old vacuum tube variety. Because these older controls were not affected by overheating conditions, cooling systems were typically not designed or installed in such older aircraft.
Due to the high cost of modern aircraft, older aircraft are currently being retrofitted with newer electronics and computers. Such electronics include Inertial Navigation and Global Positioning Systems. These, as well as other electronics, are sensitive to elevated temperatures, and therefore, it is necessary to retrofit these older aircraft with cooling systems.
Such cooling systems utilize condensers which condense heated and compressed refrigerant gas of the cooling system into a liquid. To accomplish this result, the condenser provides a heat exchanger wherein the heated and compressed refrigerant gas is passed through a heat exchanger or radiator. The heat exchanger is subjected to cool air thereby condensing the gas inside the condenser to a liquid.
To cool the heat exchanger of the condenser, the condenser is subjected to relatively cool air. The cooler air is warmed by the heat exchanger of the condenser, and the warmed air is evacuated from the aircraft. To accomplish this with the condenser inside the aircraft, a pressurized compartment must be created to house the condenser so that air may pass from the outside to the inside of the aircraft without affecting the pressurization of the aircraft cabin. To build such a compartment would be an expensive and difficult task.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a simple and cost-effective manner in which to provide ambient air to a condenser of a cooling system of an aircraft while providing overboard evacuation of the residual heat created by the condenser.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for mounting a condenser of a cooling system in an aircraft to permit overboard evacuation of residual heat created by the cooling system of the aircraft. The invention provides an enclosure mountable to the aircraft wherein the enclosure provides an air inlet and an air outlet. The condenser of the cooling system is mounted within the enclosure and in communication with the air inlet and the air outlet of the enclosure. At least one powered impeller is mounted within the enclosure for directing air through the air inlet, across the condenser and out the air outlet.
In one embodiment, the enclosure is mounted on the outside of the aircraft. The impeller directs air from outside the aircraft through the air inlet, across the condenser, and through the air outlet to the exterior of the aircraft. In another embodiment, the enclosure is mounted within the aircraft. The impeller is mounted between the condenser and the air outlet to draw air through the air inlet, across the condenser, and out the air outlet to the exterior of the aircraft. Since the aircraft is not pressurized when the air outlet is open, this embodiment can only be utilized when the aircraft is not in flight.